TE year1sourcebook/Topics of Study in the Unit
The topics of study in Unit 1 are
Understanding ICT – a brief history
Through the course of history, there have been discoveries and inventions that have changed social processes and structures greatly. The agricultural revolution and industrial revolution created the agrarian and industrial societies respectively. We are now in another such age, brought on by Information Communication Technologies (ICT). With information creation, access, processing and sharing becoming quicker and simpler, society is now being shaped these processes, so much so that, the term Information Society is used to describe society today. Participating in this society requires the development of new skills as well as an understanding of how these processes are affecting society. It is the responsibility of the education system to respond to this by helping students develop an understanding of ICT, its impact on society and the possibilities for learning through ICT. The education system also has to support the building of skills in students that will make them capable of functioning in, and be responsive to a society shaped by ICT.
Most of you student teachers must be using a cell phone to communicate, which even ten years ago would not have been the case with most students. A cell phone is a digital information and communication device, a part of the recent ICT revolution. Yet ICTs are perhaps nearly as old as humanity itself, as human beings needed to communicate with one another, beginning with symbolic (non verbal) ways, before language was invented. Language could be seen as first 'ICT', it enabled (oral) communication amongst human beings. Yet oral communication had the limitation of space and time, meaning that the speaker and the listener had to be in the same space and time.
Script was the next ICT, invented around 5,000 years ago, which enabled information to be held distinct from the communicator and be made available beyond the limitation of space and time that oral communication imposed. (You would be learning more about the processes of speaking and listening (comprising oral communication) and reading and writing (comprising written communication) in your courses on language learning. Writing also enabled easier recording of human history and thus the invention of script was a landmark in the history of ICTs. Invention of printing technologies scaled up the 'writing' process and enabled mass production of books. The invention of radio and television created the 'mass media' in which simultaneously the same message could be transmitted to thousands of people. Each ICT invention enabled the processes of information creation, sharing, storing and communicating to be easier, quicker, more efficient (reaching more people) etc. Each invention was a significant event in the evolution of human communication processes and in the explosion in the availability of information.
ICT refers to those set of technologies that help us create information, access information, analyze information and communicate with one another. Human beings have always accessed information and communicated, but what makes these present technologies special is their digital nature.
Digital ICT
We are now perhaps in the middle of the next epochal movement in the history of ICTs, the use of digital methods of accessing, creating, modifying sharing, storing information as well as for communication. Most of you would have been born after the beginning of the mass use of cell phones (the second generation or 2G cell phone technology was available for mass use from 1991), towards the end of the first millennium, while many teacher educators would have been born before this period!
| File:Long_Waves_of_Social_Evolution.jpg | Growth of ICT can be seen to be broadly in terms of 4 ages
While technology for information creation, storage and processing has been developing continuously, one important development which changed the course of technology is the development of digital technologies in the electronic area. Whereas during the electromechanical area, information was stored largely stored in analog formats. During the electronic age, information was stored in analog and digital formats. |
This phenomenon creates an interesting inversion in the school environment, in almost all other areas, the teacher (teacher educator) is more familiar than the learner (student teacher), while in case of ICTs (more specifically in the skill of using ICT devices and methods), it can often be the opposite! Research also
suggests that younger people are quicker to pick up a technology than older people. Hence this course may require the student teacher to help the teacher educators to acquire some of the skills covered and support 'collaborative learning amongst student teachers and teacher educators! On the other hand, the experience and insights of teacher educators can help student teachers to develop a critical perspective towards digital ICTs, which is essential, since digital ICTs have huge potential for doing good as well as harm. One point to note is that, one technology does not replace the earlier one, rather the earlier technologies tend to continue, thus creating a richer environment of multiple ICTs.
History of ICT
| Knowledge model / Basis | Method | Storage | Sharing | Publishing (mass sharing) | Features |
| Oral / Language | Oral | Human memory | Speaking - Hearing | Not possible | Requires synchronicity of space and time |
| Written / Script | Text | Books | Physical | Not possible | Share knowledge across space and time, but in limited manner |
| Print / Printing | Text | Books | Physical | Books | Explosion |
| Mass Media/ Radio, TV | Analogue -Audio, video | Cassettes and similar analog devices | Physical | Over broadcast media | Mass reach across space and time |
| Digital (ICT) | Digital methods (text / audio / video editors) | Digital storage like hard disks | Websites, blogs, Wikis – 'desktop publishing' | Information spreads fast and wide1. Much easier construction and much Wider possibilities – text, audio, video |
Huge impact of ICT (digital ICT)
If you look around you, you can make a big list of things that have digital technologies involved in them! Starting from the computers in your lab, television, movies, videos and other materials for subject learning, mobile communication, Aadhar card, land records, bank accounts, pension accounts and so many more things, ICT have become integrated into society in many ways.
ICT can help connect and communicate
The internet, a product of digital ICT, has changed the way we think of communicating. Talking to a friend through whatsapp or telegram chats, emailing or making a video call are just some of the ways in which the internet has changed the way we communicate with others. With the internet, you can connect to any computer in the world and access information. You can join other friends, form groups to learn about many things. Internet is also allowing new methods of learning through online courses and resource repositories. Unit 1 will help you learn how you can use ICT to connect and learn.
ICT can help create
You can use ICT to create information in different formats - maps, audio, video, text, numeric data. How we learn and what is to be learnt have changed. For example, we no longer need to learn about a cash withdrawal slip, we need to know how to use the ATM. In this program, you are listening to class talks to deepen your understanding on many issues, across subjects. In Unit 2, you will learn how you can use ICT to create resources, organise these in your own personal digital library, and learn.
Basic familiarity with ICT devices and operating system
Installing operating system on the computer
Accessing and adding various FOSS applications, basic troubleshooting
ICT for connecting
Accessing the internet and browsing the web (understanding the difference between the two)
Downloading information and organizing
Identifying license information and using downloaded information appropriately
Using safety tips while browsing
You will develop a text document with a list of websites that you have accessed
Participation in online, email and mobile-based forums (forming teacher communities of practice for collaboration and peer learning)
ICT for self learning
Developing personal digital libraries (PDLs) and evaluation of digital resources
Equitable access to ICTs
As you use the computers and Internet, the easy sharing of digital documents will seem quite powerful – instead of physically photo copying documents or recreating models of a device, making digital copies of the document or photos of the device is simpler and also almost free. Hence it should seem obvious that digital modes of information production and sharing would make resources easy to access, covering all kinds of digital items including content and software. However, there have been very strong forces that have worked against such easy sharing.
Paradoxically such sharing has been made difficult using technological methods as well as legal methods. Legal methods have been through releasing software or content using restrictive licenses, that forbid sharing or modifying. Technological methods have been to not release the source code (in case of software), which is required for making modifications and by using techniques that prevent 'copy paste' processes. Thus
'proprietary' software which forbids sharing and customising is used by most ICT users.
One argument for restricting free sharing is that the creator needs to be compensated for producing the
resource and instead of having the first buyer pay the entire amount of creation, seeking license fees from
many users can reduce the costs to the first buyer and also increase the profitability for the creator. While
this argument can have relevance in commercial transactions, in the case of education, where the free access
to and sharing of learning resources is essential, using digital resources that do not have restrictive licensing
would be required.
Fortunately, in the case of software, there are free software communities that have developed software and
released it on liberal conditions, that allow free sharing and modifying. Dr Richard Stallman, who was a
professor at the Massachusets Institute of Technology, established the Free Software Foundation, whichworked to develop software applications and released them under a 'General Public License' (GPL), which
allows the user four freedoms – to use, study, modify and share. The GPL also insists that any changes made
to a free software should also be released on same terms.
Similarly in the case of content or learning materials, the 'open educational resources' (OER) movement aims
to support creation of digital materials that allow the four rights – right to reuse, revise, remix and re
distribute (called the 4 Rs). As teachers, you too can release materials you create as OER, so that other
teachers can give feedback as well as revise/refine the same to make it better quality. (Karnataka teachers are
already doing this in the Karnataka Open Educational Resources (KOER) programme of DSERT, which you
too can join.
Ethical use of ICT
You will be learning to use ICT for many purposes. However, you should know that ICT use can be beneficial or harmful, and you need to use your judgement in the use of ICTs. Ethical challenges in the use of ICTs can arise in the following situations:
- Plagiarism - showing resources created by others as created by oneself
- Using others resources without their permission, or as per the 'license' associated with the resource.
- Participating in a virtual forum in an offensive manner, violating the etiquette of virtual forum behaviours
You need to be aware of these dangers and learn to avoid these, and help your classmates also avoid these.
Plagiarising - copying resources created by others and representing it as yours
While it is easy to copy a resource from the internet and include in your own work without giving credit to the creator, it is an unethical practice. This is called 'plagiarism', the more familiar word is 'copying'. Referring to other resources, 'citing' them in your work, or adapting them to meet the needs of your work are ethical activities. This is called 'fair use' of materials created by another person. What is 'minor' copying or 'large' depends on the situation, and you need to use your judgement. In case of doubt, always discuss with your teachers, classmates and friends. One simple rule - use materials from existing OER sources, and give credit to the source, in your own document.
Violating the 'license' associated with the resource
Digital resources, including software and content always have an associated 'license' of use. In case the software or content is licensed as 'proprietary', where the creator has all the rights, and has not given any rights to others, then using the digital resource is illegal, without paying the required license fee, as well as unethical. Such use is called 'piracy'. You may find it technically very easy to just 'copy-paste' an article from the Internet or copy a proprietary software program from another computer, or download a movie from the internet which is not licensed to be copied. All these would be unethical practices and must be avoided. For the same reason, your school computer lab must not have any pirated software. If you find any pirated software or content in the school computers, please do bring it to the notice of your teacher.
Free and Open Source Software and Open Educational Resources
One way of avoiding this unethical practice, is to use and promote Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and Open Educational Resources (OER). FOSS and OER movements aim at providing digital resources that are licensed to allow you to make copies. In addition, you can modify the software / content resource and share again. It is ethical to use FOSS and OER. It is unethical to pirate proprietary software or content.
Remember that if a digital resource has no explicit copyright clause mentioned, it means it is owned by the creator with no rights for others. Hence when you create a digital resource, please take care to explicitly mention that it is an OER. You can do this by providing the copyright clause such as - "Copyright - Creative Commons CC BY SA 4.0", you can mention this in the first page itself, below the title of the article.
Ethical use of internet
The Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility has prepared the 'ten commandments' or ten rules for use of computers, some of which are listed below:
- You should not use a computer to harm other people.
- You should not interfere with other people's computer work.
- You should not snoop around in other people's computer files.
- You should not use a computer to steal.
- You should not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid
- You should not use other people's computer resources without authorization
- You should always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for others
This can be pasted on your computer lab as 'Do's and Dont's of using the lab.
Internet Safety
The virtual world also can be as or more dangerous than the real world. Cyber bullying (including by students of other students), abusive communication, on-line fraud including transfer of funds from your bank accounts etc are common. A June 2011 Consumer Reports "State of the Net" survey "unearthed several disturbing findings about children and Facebook": One million children were harassed, threatened, or subjected to other forms of cyber bullying during 2010.
- Of the 20 million minors who actively used Facebook in the past year, 7.5 million - or more than one-third - were younger than 13 and not supposed to be able to use the site.
- Among young users, more than 5 million were 10 and under, and their accounts were largely unsupervised by their parents.
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Read these news articles and discuss among your friends. Think of the steps you should take to avoid getting into trouble.
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Apart from harm that may be inflicted by others through the internet, there is harm from excessive use of the internet. See Man treated for Internet addiction. South Korea, the country which has the highest density of internet use has internet deaddiction centres in more than 100 hospitals. Like any other resource, the internet needs to be used wisely, there is a danger of misuse, abuse and over-use. Please visit the following sites to learn about safe internet use
- https://www.getsafeonline.org/protecting-your-computer/safe-internet-use/
- http://blog.searchlock.com/internet-safety-tips-kids-teens/
Apart from harm to yourself, the use of the internet can cause problems for your computer, through malware (software viruses), or spam (unwanted mails). Do not download any software or content to your computer from the internet, unless you have clear instruction from your teacher.